The invention relates to electric shavers and more particularly to electric shavers designed specifically for use by women in shaving their legs and underarm areas.
During the last 20 years there has been a great increase in the use of electric shavers by women for use in shaving their legs and underarm areas. Many of these shavers which have been placed on the market are substantially the same as the shavers which are also offered for sale for shaving men's facial hair. There is a considerable difference in the problems involved and the requirements associated with women's shavers as compared to those designed for men. The hair found on the legs and underarms of women is finer and less stiff than the facial hair with which men are concerned. In addition, the skin of women, particularly in the underarm area, tends to be much more tender and more easily irritated than the skin on the face of a man. In addition, women have less necessity for a close shave than does a man.
Not only are the requirements of a shaver for a women quite different than those associated with a men's shaver, but, in addition, there is considerable difference between the requirements of a women's shaver in shaving legs as compared to the underarm area. The skin under the arm is much more subject to irritation than is the skin on the legs and, in addition, a closer shave is required on the legs than on the underarm area. Prior art attempts at producing a shaver which would operate satisfactorily for both leg and underarm shaving have been relatively unsuccessful. One prior art lady's shaver is shown in Spohr U.S. Pat. No. 3,432,652. Although the shaving head disclosed in the subject Spohr patent was satisfactory, it was difficult to manufacture the head in such a way that it would give an acceptably close shave on the legs while avoiding irritation in the underarm area.
There are many examples in the prior art of shavers which have been provided with guards to either lessen irritation or prevent the shaver from cutting too close. Examples of such guards are shown in Tolmie U.S. Pat. No. 3,290,775, MacDonald U.S. Pat. No. 2,864,162, Denocenzo U.S. Pat. No. 2,539,011, and Dalkowitz U.S. Pat. No. 2,228,258. These patents disclose guards which were essentially used with men's shavers to improve the shaving characteristics or to facilitate trimming of hair as contrasted with shaving.